. >> reporter: top economists came to capitol hill thursday to talk about the impact of tax increases and government spending cuts on the middle class. >> a couple thousand dollars means a couple months rent. for this family. >> reporter: the white house has made clear, the country could go over the cliff if republicans refuse to raise taxes on the top 2% of american earners. >> for them to be burdened, unnecessarily because democrats and republicans aren't coming together to solve this problem, gives you a sense of the costs involved in very personal terms. >> reporter: republican leaders say they will close loopholes and eliminate tax breaks to raise money. but insist that bush-era tax cuts must be extended for all americans. >> reporter: the standoff and the country's skyrocketing debt, concerns ryan shenecki. ♪ [ music ] ♪ so much so, that he's the guy in the can suit, dancing gang thisnam style with the cochair, former senator, allen simpson. his group, the can kicks back, is working to get young people involved in fixing the debt crisis. >> we're trying to get our generation